With their second album Hollerin due out this summer, Eastbound Jesus has released exclusively with NYSMusic the second track off the album. We love where this album is headed…
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ShwizZ‘s bad side is better than most bands’ best sides. Hell, I think their bad side is better than their own good. Listening to the NYC-based band’s new double-album release, My Good Side/ My Bad Side for the first time, I couldn’t help but wait to listen to it again.
The first listen was to satiate my thirst; once I hit play, I devoured both albums. The second time through was for pleasure; minute intricacies revealed themselves around each corner of the compilation and lead to aural ecstasy.
Praise should be dealt out in heaps for this production. Aptly titled tunes feature deftly mastered compositions and perfectionist attention to detail. “Annie Pt. 1,” on My Bad Side, is a beautifully somber song with Pink Floyd’esque roots that later flow into the intro of Part 2, which evolves into a ShwizZy glory jam. Meanwhile, throughout the Bad Side, a shadow of Umphrey’s McGee’s primordial beast surfaces again and again—listen to the breakdown in “Orange Wreck” or the Prowler-like pick-me-up to “Doorbell”. That jam turns video-gamey in a “I just double-fisted the 1-up green mushroom and power-up red mushroom” kind of way. Dream Theater’s keyboardist Jordan Rudess cameos on My Good Side’s “Duggan,” but Dream Theater’s influences are just as evident in My Bad Side‘s “The Zone.”
ShwizZ’s Good Side aptly demonstrates the band’s diversity. The double-set’s eleventh track, “Number Twelve” is simply put, an incredible rock song. It features heavy shredding, great transitions, and immaculate composition. “What Does This Mean” may be the most palatable tune of the bunch. Tight verses, heavy breakdowns, and furious instrumentation are supplemented by the relatable, sing-along’able chorus. Like both albums, this tune’s ebb and flow will leave you feeling insatiated; the only thing that would make it better is more.
It’s hard to define ShwizZ’s genre. “Slow Down” is a groovy funk-fest that evolves into a percussion-infused jazz odyssey. “Orange Wreck” features a section of tango and they literally “Summon the Fawn” with an orchestral masterpiece early on in My Good Side. The guitar, bass, drums, keys, sax, even triangle are all highlighted throughout the albums; everyone gets their shot and plays their part. They shift seamlessly between sexy grooves and grueling shafts. At times I sat still, enthralled by each note, captivated and wondering what was next. Other times, my shoulders began shaking as the vibrations ignited involuntary one-man dance parties.
Once in a while you listen to a new album from a rising artist and know they’re the real deal (Tauk’s Collisions comes to mind). Add ShwizZ’s My Good Side/My Bad Side to that list. They were a blip on my radar before, but now ShwizZ is squarely on the map. I love to say I told you so when I say, “these guys are here to stay.”
Keytracks: Orange Wreck, What Does This Mean, Duggan
The official album release party will be held on Saturday May 16 at The Knitting Factory in Brooklyn, New York.
The best moments in life are often those that come with little planning – so when my buddy hit me up last Wednesday about making a last-minute trip to see ska/punk/funk legends Fishbone at Syracuse’s Westcott Theater – I said “Funk ya!” California’s Fishbone has been touring since 1979 and still features three original members – lead vocalist Angelo Moore, bassist John Norwood Fisher and “Dirty” Walter A Kibby II on trumpet. Add in Rocky George of Suicidal Tendencies fame on guitar, John Steward on drums, Jay Armant on trombone, and Paul Hampton on the keys and they become a force to be reckoned with. This is no watered down state fair nostalgia act, this is the real deal.
Street Rock Mafia – a rap/funk/rock group from Utica. The Mafia’s genre is well stated as their sound lay somewhere in between Limp Bizkit, Ludacris and Syracuse’s own Sophistafunk. With ample guitar to go with the eloquent hip hop and subtle funk undertones – this band should have no trouble finding a varied audience as they continue to grow.
Finally it was time to grab one of the Westcott’s micro brews and get a spot up front for Fishbone. The audience was a bit sparse considering the history of this band, but that took little from the experience. The band came out to play one of their most well-known tunes “Party at Ground Zero” and immediately set the dance floor on fire. Showing no signs of age – vocalist/multi instrumentalist Moore was bouncing around the stage like an eighteen year old – and the rest of the band followed suit. The set featured a mix of old and new material and a spot on cover of the Sublime classic “Date Rape.” The band even managed to give a shout out to guitarist George’s old band – Suicidal Tendencies – with an extended head bang worthy jam around the tune “Institutionalized”. I, of course, immediately asked the bartender for a Pepsi, but he wouldn’t give me one.
Fishbone is touring heavily this year and was just announced as a headliner for September’s Last Daze of Summer festival at Sterling Stage in Sterling, NY. Put this band on your bucket list and find a way to see them. The last-minute journey to funkytown was well worth the five hours of sleep and the groggy morning after. And I finally got my Pepsi.
Memorial Day weekend is almost upon us and despite all the festival potential in store across the Northeast, the Midwest holds one of the best festivals of the year – Summer Camp Music Festival. Now in its 15th year. Summer Camp has become the Midwest’s number one destination for all things jam, rock, electronic, bluegrass and plenty of general partying and hollerin’.
There’s a lot going on this year at Summer Camp, including some just announced improvements and rules changes that fans need to be aware of. Read here for a detailed list, but take note of the following in particular:
Entry: A new main gate setup and more efficient entry procedures will allow for quicker and easier entry this year.
Vibe Tent: To accommodate some of the massive EDM artists playing this year’s festival, expect a bigger-than-ever Vibe Tent! From the production and sound, to the stage and the tent itself, Summer Camp has expanded and fine-tuned every element of the stage.
Charge your cellphone on site with Solar Go’s Custom USB Recharging Batteries: Order your battery now and it will be charged and ready when you arrive. Then, each day you can exchange it for a fully charged one, and at the end of the festival you take it home with you.
Chinese Fire Lanterns are banned!: Due to safety concerns (and common sense) these have been added to our prohibited items list, and will NOT be allowed at Three Sisters Park!
You can access the Summer Camp schedule here and use the app for IOS or Android to build a customized music schedule.
Of course, the music and activities at Summer Camp are the reason you are coming, not to block the view of Jeff Waful with your ragestick (leave those home too) so here are the Top 15 acts and events not to miss at Summer Camp 15.
15. Keller Williams / Keller Williams & Grateful Grass
With the release of his latest album Vape, Keller is back with new material and a Dead set with Grateful Grass that offers anything but the traditional Grateful Dead covers. Being the Dead’s 50th year, expect plenty of tributes to the Grateful Dead at this year’s Summer Camp. (2am Friday, Campfire Stage // 5pm Friday, Moonshine Stage)
Increase your social and environmental awareness as you make a difference at Summer Camp this year in a variety of ways. Check out non-profits, help clean the grounds, take part in the treasure hunt, and spread the word! Summer Camp is a great way to have a blast and kick off the summer, as well as do a good part for your community! (Throughout the weekend, Soulshine Tent)
13. Pink Talking Fish
We have had the luxury of Pink Talking Fish playing a bevy of shows in their native Northeast, and checking them out at Summer Camp will be a real treat whether you have seen them or not already. Combining Phish, Talking Heads and Pink Floyd songs in unique ways – you won’t be disappointed. (2am Saturday, Soulshine Tent)
12. Krewella
I haven’t seen Krewella, but given the amount of vitriol some fans gave the female electronic duo when they were added to the lineup, even going so far as to start a petition to have them removed from the lineup, now I REALLY want to see them. I enjoy EDM and don’t pass judgment until I see music live, and with the duo hailing from near Chicago, IL, they are now a must see. (9pm Friday, Moonshine Stage)
11. Field Day
Akin to Camp Bisco’s Color Wars, Field Day is a great friendly competition that features dodgeball, capture the flag, a spelling bee, a Manolo’s Pizza & Empanadas eating contest, and more! Pre-register here and Go Purple! (12pm – 5:30pm Saturday, 312 Beer Garden next to Vibe Tent),
10. Wild Adriatic
One of the best bands to come out of Upstate New York, Wild Adriatic has played SXSW and will perform at Bonnaroo this summer, and are well-known throughout the Northeast for rocking sets and choice covers, including “Ain’t No Sunshine”, featured on their new EP Never Enough. (5pm Thursday, Starshine Stage)
9. North American Scum
If you love LCD Soundsystem even a little bit, you have to stay awake on Sunday and catch North American Scum. I saw them in Chicago last July and was blown away – it’s as close to the real deal as you can get. Watch below and see for yourself (2am Sunday, Soulshine Tent)
Music festivals have been waiting for this one – mini-golf! Amazeballs Amusements is an awesome addition to Summer Camp and will host a unique 15 hole miniature golf course in honor of Summer Camp Music Festival’s 15th Anniversary. Bonus: the mobile mini golf course will be free to play all weekend! Proceeds from Sunday afternoon will benefit a special Make a Difference Drive. Stop by the Soulshine Tent, cool down in the shade or avoid the rain while hitting some balls. (Daily 10am-6pm)
7. Aqueous
Making their return to Summer Camp with two full sets on Thursday and Friday, this Western NY jam has a great summer tour ahead of them and a thriving fan base that Umphrey’s fans have begun to take note of, and for good reason. See the band NYSMusic named their 2013 Band on the Rise. (8:30pm Thursday and 8pm Friday, Camping Stage)
6. Family Groove Company
Chicago has a presence at Summer Camp, and for good reason. The number of bands that have come out of the Windy City in the past 15 years is remarkable, and Summer Camp offers a chance to see some of the best. Family Groove Company is a stellar jam band, offering a complete sound, especially with Janis Wallin rockin the bass. (6pm Thursday, 12pm Saturday, Starshine Stage)
5. Umphrey’s McGee and GODBONER
Umphrey’s has played their festival since the beginning, so naturally they are on the list. With The London Session and UMBowl VI in their rearview, expect 4 incredible sets, along with a bonus – Gene Ween joins Umphrey’s for GODBONER! (6pm, 7:45pm & 9:45 pm Friday, 9pm & 11pm, Sunshine Stage)
4. Yonder Mountain String Band
With a lineup recently made official, adding Allie Kral (fiddle) and Jacob Jolliff (mandolin) and new album Black Sheep due out this summer, Yonder’s daytime set at Summer Camp is a must attend, and with a slightly different sound but the same vibe and jamgrassy goodness you love, you’ll want to see where the new lineup takes them. (2:45pm Sunday, Sunshine Stage)
3. Future Rock/Daft Rock
Future Rock is a fantastic electronic trio from Chicago and the fact they are playing two sets insists you see at least one of them – but their third set, as Daft Rock, is the one that is truly intriguing and why they are #3 on the list. A set of Daft Punk from this talented trio is going to be one of the highlights of Summer Camp, guaranteed. (Future Rock – 9:30pm Thursday, 12:30am Saturday – Starshine Stage // Daft Rock 2am Friday, Soulshine Stage)
2. Widespread Panic
The past two years have seen Widespread Panic turning out some of the hottest shows and tours in recent years with a strong connection between Jimmy Herring and Butch Trucks (filling in for Todd Nance on drums) leading to jams that are beyond what the Southern rockers have been known for in previous years. Get floppy with Panic! (7pm & 9pm Sunday, Sunshine Stage)
1. Bruce Hornsby and the Noisemakers/moe with Bruce Hornsby
Music legend Bruce Hornsby brings The Noisemakers, playing originals and covers with his iconic voice, but his set with moe. will be the most looked forward to set this Summer Camp, simply for the potential of what is in store. A band such as moe. playing along with the piano and voice of Bruce Hornsby is one of the best collaborations to come out of music festivals since Steve Winwood joined Widespread Panic at Bonnaroo 2002. Don’t miss this one! (1:15pm & 3pm Sunday, Moonshine Stage)
As Brothers Osborne performed at Kegs Canalside in Jordan, NY, the enthusiasm from the audience was just as loud and approving as their previous weekends audience at The Stagecoach Festival. Okay, maybe not as loud, but every bit as approving.
Saturday’s show featured the farewell performance from Sammy Award winner Briana Jessie as she sang her heart out before leaving to chase her dreams in Nashville. This little spitfire will do well down there with her amazing talent and driven personality, it won’t be long before you hear her name everywhere. NYSMusic.com wishes you well and can’t wait to cover a show for you on tour one day!!!
Another Syracuse native, Mick Fury, made his way home to Syracuse from Nashville as well for a one night performance opening for The Brothers Osborne. I was super psyched as this would be the first time I had the opportunity to see Mick’s live show, and he did not disappoint. Singing originals and some covers, Mick got the crowd a rocking, leaving them primed for The Brothers Osborne to take over. It never ceases to amaze me just how much talent we have here locally that eventually find their way to the big times. Can’t wait to say, I knew these two when.
I was happily anticipating this set as this would be the first time I really got to watch them play. I had covered them once before at a show but while working so I didn’t really get to sit and take it all in. As John and TJ Osborne took the stage, I loved them before they even began playing. Their stage setup included some cozy relaxing wall hangings, incense burning, macramé hangings, and everything groovy you could imagine making the set the most relaxing atmosphere. Then they began playing. TJ’s voice was low, and mellow, and just as smooth and throaty as can be while John’s playing took me away to another realm all together.
John is literally one of the best guitar players I’ve ever heard…amazing. Surrounding themselves with an amazing band, with Rochester native Pete Sternberg on bass, Adam Box on drums, and utility player and newcomer Jason Graumlich, the set was chocked full of amazing originals, outstanding covers and the night flew by before we knew it. Their laid back easy ways made us feel like we were just hanging out jamming with them. At one point in the show John yells out, “You may be a small but you are a mighty crowd”. That was the truth. We may not have been the large masses they had previously played to the weekend before at The Stagecoach Festival, but we sure raised some hell, sang along, screamed and shouted, and partied along with them all night!!
I highly recommend taking in their show if they get anywhere remotely closeby. These guys are amazing. Definitely going places as there are true to their sound, their style, and their music. Check out their latest single, “Stay A Little Longer” that is flying up the charts, and by all means purchase their album!! You won’t be disappointed.
Setlist: Let’s Go, Shoot, Sippin, The Last One, La Grance, Pins, Stay, Whiskey, Lonely, Hey Good Lookin’, Down Home,
Runnin, Rum, Shape, Natural High, Rocky Mountain Way, American Dreamers, 21 Summer, You Wreck Me, Going Down
The Pandemics just released a new EP called Hard Headed. This band of musicians is a relatively new force in New York. Debuting in 2010 and having previously released another EP and an album, The Pandemics are an eight piece band spreading through New York State with a recognizably robust sound. The sounds of trumpets and drums open up the EP with an initial jam that is slower and one of the key songs on the EP to check out. The second song to be check out is “Change Your Mind.” This song is a head full of upbeat punk music with sarcastic humor on one shoulder and the combination of bad words on the other shoulder.
“Stop and Get Frisky” is a very relevant tune. This number is all about police violence. This past year the murder of Mike Brown and Eric Garner as well as other murders received a lot of well deserved attention and sparked a movement called Black Lives Matter. Cops are recurring themes in Ska and punk music, however, the lyrics in “Stop and Get Frisky,” – “The stopping for white is nearly six times for blacks,” make it clear that the song is specifically addressing the issue of racial profiling.
The Pandemics are bringing up important issues of police profiling in their new EP Hard Headed. Check it out and catch The Pandemics on tour in New York State this summer!
Key Tracks: Change Your Mind, Stop and Get Frisky
New lineup, expanded sound, refined digs. 2014 was a big year for Hartford-based jam band The McLovins, releasing their fourth full length studio album Beautiful Lights earlier in the year, with a CD release party at Garcia’s shortly after. A coming-of-age album for The McLovins, Beautiful Lights gives us sounds that are an entry into the mid-leagues of regional jam bands with followings in various reaches of the country. To top off Beautiful Lights, The McLovins have released a funky four-song EP this past summer, Funk No. Uno.
The McLovins had already released three full-length albums prior to Beautiful Lights, which are good listens and made for awesome live sets but were largely based off the jam-and-shred platform which made for a better live presentation. On their newest full-length album, the band steeped the tea for just the right amount of time and built off their foundation to refine their sound and focus on the songwriting aspect. One of the great things The McLovins have demonstrated with this album is their ability to write and record a solid four to six minute studio track that can render into a longer jam when performed live.
After guitarist Jeff Howard left the band in late 2011, founding members Jake Huffman (drums, vocals) and Jason Ott (bass) welcomed Justin Berger on guitar and added Atticus Kelly on keys. Not only did the urge to record new material fall into place after that, according to Huffman, but the change-up also brought in some new ideas and influences which possibly drove some of the tighter song structure we see on Beautiful Lights.
With twelve songs totaling a little more than what would fit on a typical LP record, the album is laid out in a way that gives it that feel of an A and B side. As far as influences, Jake Huffman attributes them in two takes, which shapes that album-side feel. Huffman told NYS Music, “There are two different vibes, this really old school Grateful Dead-y type sound, and then you have this other type of sound like Lotus or Disco Biscuits. The first half of the album and the second half of the album have two totally different types of vibes.”
The difference is pretty clear too, listening to the album from start to finish. The first five tracks fit well with a summer party groove and the flip side renders, for the most part, an Americana-rock experience. Several of The McLovins’ influences shine through as well with occasional Trey Anastasio style licks that sing, soar and don’t snore and other throwbacks to The Band (particularly on “Yankee Rose”) and The Grateful Dead, with a very brief, maybe accidental, tease of the start of a verse from “St. Stephen” on “Shivers.”
Instrumentals can sometimes make or break a record, or might just be there like too much water added to a can of condensed soup. The title track and only instrumental track off Beautiful Lights particularly caught our attention. A cohesive, open-to-interpretation instrumental, this song is in some ways like an aural Rorschach test. Dim the lights, close your eyes and let it take you to your city’s evening star-lit overlook or in a sunny field running toward the next big thing on your horizon. If the jam band world had its version of “Eye of the Tiger” it would be this song. Paired with the following a capella tune “Cold Cold Iron” these two songs jet up as the divider between the two halves of the album.
The Funk No. Uno EP also marks a new strut for the McLovins. It is, after all, only an EP but features four tracks built off their native style blended and molded with an added horn section and heavy influences of jazz, fusion, R&B and plenty of funk. Unlike the complete 360 in sound Mumford & Sons pulled on their latest Wilder Mind, the sounds of Funk No. Uno are like a side of sriracha to kick up the main course – there’s no ditching the old here. It would certainly be awesome to hear more of this from the band down the road.
Beautiful Lights and Funk No. Uno are a far cry from a disappointment to the ears and worth adding to your library. If you’re not familiar with The McLovins, we’d suggest checking out their earlier releases and bootleg soundboard/live recordings as well.
Key Tracks: Beautiful Lights, Yankee Rose, Birthday
Today’s Nashville is quickly becoming a mecca for artists of all genres. No longer is country and bluegrass music the only sounds coming from the recording studios in music city. With cross over artists writing, singing, and performing unique blends of country, bluegrass, rock, pop, R&B, reggae, and jazz melodies, we are trending towards a new millennium of country music. Kacey Musgraves is my kind of different good.
Personal preference makes me tend to gravitate towards unique artists that shine a little differently than the rest. There’s something alluring about those artists that go against the grain and march to the beat of their own drum. Different has always been better to me. While all the other artists are swimming downstream singing of solo cups and dirt roads, however catchy it is, it’s becoming boring. And before you all get your knickers in a twist, I’m a country gal and that was no slight towards solo cups and dirt roads. Heck, I’m as country as a gal can get growing up in southern Illinois and Murfreesboro, TN. I have been known to drink from a red solo cup on the tailgate of a pickup, out on some ole dirt road in cut off shorts and a flannel shirt tied at the middle. I am the definition of country. Subject matter is not the issue.
Hailing from Golden, Texas, this lovely young lady demonstrates a quiet strength to me. Listening to the words of “Follow Your Arrow” and “Biscuits”, and “The Trailer Song”, it became crystal clear that Kacey tells it like it is. She paints you a mental image with the music. She sings of being your own person, makes no excuses for who she is, and definitely puts it straight to those who feel it’s their business to butt their noses in where they don’t belong. From the moment I heard the first line few lines of The Trailer Song, I knew I liked her. “You say that you’re watching the birds out your window, I’ve got a bird you can watch”. It’s her no-nonsense straight forward lyrics, combined with the twangy sound of classic country, that makes this new age young lady one of my all time favorites.
Opening for Kacey were John & Jacob, a unique band fronted by John Davidson and Jacob Bryan, with Jake Thrasher, Trevor Davis, and Austin Smith rounding out this dynamic group of young men. Bringing their own unique style to the stage I was pleasantly surprised with their catchy early 60’s suited look reminiscent of The Hollies or early Fab Four. Mix in a bit of their rocking Buddy Holly style of upbeat late 60’s rock, add a splash of backwoods country spice and you have John and Jacob. I was literally giddy when they began playing.
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As Kacey took the stage, this gal definitely walks her own walk and talks her own talk. With a sound of country mixed with a bit of 60’s rock, this young lady writes and sings of life as she knows it from her small town roots in the trailer park to the great big world as she travels. Surrounded on stage by neon cacti and one of Nashville’s premier bands clad in classic country rhinestone suits, she lights up her band and the stage in such a way she makes trailers and neon lights classy. Coming off the heals of controversy, Kacey sang Little Big Town’s new controversial song “Girl Crush” and nailed it, and her rendition of “These Boots Are Made For Walkin’” was one of my favorites of the evening.
This CMA, ACM, and Grammy Award winning artist has just begun to make her mark in country music, and as long as she continues to shoot her own arrow, she’s hit the mark for me and without a doubt this young lady will be a name that goes down in the history books.
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It was certainly different from any festival I have ever attended. Rock n Roll Resort v5 Electric Avenue, nestled in the Catskills at the Hudson Valley Resort and Spa in Kerhonkson, New York, promised a weekend unlike any other on the festival circuit. Instead of the typical start of setting up a tent and campsite in a giant field, all we had to do was park and check into our room. Pretty simple and uneventful.
Inside the entrance is what you’d expect at any festival: A few stands selling clothing and trinkets and people getting prepared for the weekend. It was almost time for the first band to start, so we hustled to settle in and go right down to the Grand Ballroom, one of four venues inside the resort.
I don’t have the numbers, but it certainly felt like the crowd was thin. With dozens of festivals popping up each year, attendance was bound to suffer at some point. This was a fun and exciting weekend, and I hope it can come back for years to come.
Kicking off the music was Brooklyn-based Cousin Earth, formerly called Ukulelien, a group that appeared gimmicky at first glance.
“We all play little instruments,” Joe Calfa, on ukulele, said.
Cousin Earth, a five-piece, is about as far from a gimmick as possible. Calfa plays an electric ukulele, tuned GCEA, Corey J. Feldman plucks a four-string U-Bass, which is essentially an electric bass the size of, you guessed it, a ukulele. On lead vocals and melodica is Tara Lawton, a trained theater actor, who fits perfectly with Terry Brennan, another actor. Together, the pair added a Broadway-style flair to the hour-long set. On the backbeat is Nate Searing.
The group’s sound is so rich and full.I heard everything from calypso, to jam rock to hip-hop, reggae and even video game themes. Cousin Earth opened with a riveting cover of Phish’s Possum, which featured Calfa’s technical, but fun, chops. Out of all the acts I witnessed for the first time this weekend, Cousin Earth gets my recommendation for band you absolutely need to experience.
Next up was Eggy in the Empire Lounge. A four-piece from Connecticut, Eggy continued the tone set by Cousin Earth with a very danceable set intertwined with some deep improvisation. I was only able to stay for a bit, as I had to do interviews for the next few hours.
Sprocket’s Dan Haller took a few minutes to sit down with me. The group recently landed a residency at The Bitter End in Manhattan, playing late-night sets. Haller said, in a nutshell, that the band is continuing to rise, but doesn’t want to stop connecting with fans.
“We have honed our live sets, but we want to start throwing dance party ragers,” Haller said.
In the midst of all the music was the Overlook Gallery, where art was displayed on the walls while artists painted pieces in real-time. Run by Gregory “GreyEgg” McKenna from New Jersey, this art show is specific to RnR Resort, as he said he doesn’t run any other shows across the country.
I was able to stop in for brief stints with Flux Capacitor, the Skints and Sprocket, before getting ready for Lucid, a band out of Plattsburgh, NY that has risen highly among regional acts. Full disclosure: I attended SUNY Plattsburgh with a few of the band members, and have been seeing them live since 2007.
The group has grown immensely since I first saw them at the Monopole. Their sound is full, they’ve honed their chops and it’s no wonder why they are getting bigger and better gigs each year, and host their own festival in Peru, NY, each year called Backwoods Pondfest. The six-piece melded roots, rock, blues and reggae all into an hour-long set.
Consider the Source, a progressive rock band out of New York City, performed a midnight set at the Empire Lounge, and it easily was the best set of the weekend. I have been told that I needed to get out and see them, and now I understand why. The three-piece band has a sound all their own, melding rock with Middle Eastern influences and psychedelia. Their set was a throw down of epic proportions, as my eyes and ears didn’t stray for one second. Gabriel Marin plays a double-neck, fretless guitar and he’s nothing short of a master on it. John Ferrara plucks the bass while Jeff Mann mans the kit.
Headliner Fishbone had a 1 a.m. set in the Manhattan Theater. By this time, I was fading fast. Fishbone, formed in California in 1979, melds funk, metal, ska, punk and alternative into one whirlwind of a show. The seven-piece wove its way through a set that helped keep my eyes open.
Gang of Thieves, an award-winning funk group from Burlington, Vt., took the stage at 3 a.m. in the Empire Lounge. Mike Reit, on lead vocals and electric violin, was asked to sum up the band in a few words.
“Music has real power,” he said. “We tend to write everything from a collaborative standpoint, and get everyone involved. When we come together on something, it just feels so great. It’s a very fulfilling way to go about it.”
Unfortunately, after Gang of Thieves, I had to head to bed. Pooped.
Saturday was supposed to start out mellow, but it seemed the crowd was in party mode. People were rolling in, undoubtedly preparing for two sets of Twiddle that night.
I started my day by seeing the Kind Buds, who had performed a special set the night before dedicated to the Grateful Dead. The acoustic duo harmonize well and have been at this for many years. During their day set, they invited a handful of people to hula hoop on stage. Fun way to get things rolling.
Throughout the day, Citizens Band Radio, Juggling Suns, The Other Brothers, Lespecial and an acoustic Lucid set the tone for what would be a wild night.
Around 8:30 p.m., Syracuse funk/hip-hop three-piece Sophistafunk took to the Empire Lounge. Sophistafunk has only grown in the last few years, touring Europe and gaining a following in America. Their set featured dance grooves with positive hip-hop lyricism over the top.
Over at the Grand Ballroom, was Formula 5, a talented group out of Albany, N.Y. Formed a few years ago when the members were waiting in line to get Phish tickets, Formula 5 has risen up the local rankings to headline venues such as the Putnam Den in Saratoga. Their set on Saturday was rocking and fun. These guys are going places, so remember the name.
At 10:30 p.m., the Camp Creek All-Stars, led by Max Creek guitarist Scott Murawski, led the Manhattan Theater on a jammed-out set that spanned nearly two hours. Beau Sasser, Bill Carbone and Ed Mann were part of the group. Murawski has been one of my favorite guitarists for years, and seeing him rock his Ibanez up close was a dream. I am not sure if this lineup is going to do anymore shows (Murawski told me prior to the show that he is unsure what the future holds for the band of musicians) but if they do a tour, you can bet I will see more than one show.
Twiddle is a jam-rock group out of Burlington, Vt., and they have risen up the scene’s hierarchy rapidly. With a sound similar to Phish, but not a copy, Twiddle has roped in a younger fan base that is rabid for the group’s catchy lyrics and hooks, and their unique improvisation.
Keyboardist Ryan Dempsey took a few minutes out of his day to chat about the state of the band.
“We are rolling right now and everything seems to be clicking,” he said. “We love to play for our fans, and we enjoy making new ones. It’s a lot of fun, especially right now.”
Starting at midnight and spanning two sets, Twiddle packed the Manhattan Theater front to back with said fans. Mihali Savoulidis handles guitar and vocal duty, and mixes his leads ever so fluently with Dempsey’s funky keys. Brook Jordan on drums and Zdenek Gubb on bass provide a rhythmic backdrop for the catchiness of their songs.
I have seen this band now five times, and each one has been better than the last. Mix that with the fact that each m ember is genuinely friendly and engaged with their fan base, and Twiddle is a group that figures to be a mainstay for years to come.
I was toast after Twiddle. I needed bed, and that’s where I collapsed. The weekend was great fun, and Rock n Roll Resort is a well-run festival that has built a following. Hopefully attendance will improve in the years to come, because it would be a shame if this unique weekend were no more.
The StrangeCreek Campout will return to Camp Kee-Wanee in Greenfield, Mass., over Memorial Day weekend for the 13th consecutive year. Put on by Wormtown Trading Co., StrangeCreek features more than 50 acts this year, led by Max Creek, Ryan Montbleau, Sister Sparrow and the Dirty Birds and Consider the Source on multiple stages. Other notable attractions include late-night sets, a Silent Disco and special cabin performances.
Jeremiah Hazed, winner of the Worcester Battle of the Bands, will perform a special late-night set on the Woods Stage. The fire spinning performers who go by, FIREWORMZ, will spin fire every night.
The StrangeCreek tribe and all the music lovers who come together in Western Massachusetts do a great job of creating a family atmosphere amongst all festival goers new and old. There is a family camping area as well as a kids cabin and teen scene. The landscape of Camp Kee-Wanee is known for its wooded camping area where the festival goers can dwell between sets, covered by the shade during the day, before exploring under the shadowy canopy at night.
A portion of ticket proceeds will benefit Camp Kee-Wanee. StrangeCreek also supports Strangers Helping Strangers, a non-profit that runs a food drive at over the weekend.
For a full look at the lineup click here.
Gates open at 9 a.m. on that Friday morning. Tickets are still available.
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